Kim's sister slams US, dismisses chance for talks to resume

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un dismissed prospects for early resumption of diplomacy with the United States, saying Tuesday the U.S. expectations for talks would “plunge them into a greater disappointment.”

Kim Yo Jong issued the statement after U.S. National Security adviser Jake Sullivan described as an “interesting signal” her brother’s recent statement that North Korea must be ready for both dialogue and confrontation, but more for confrontation.

“A Korean proverb says that ‘In a dream, what counts most is to read it, not to have it.’ It seems that the U.S. may interpret the situation in such a way as to seek a comfort for itself,” Kim Yo Jong said, according to the official Korean Central News Agency.

“The expectation, which they chose to harbor the wrong way, would plunge them into a greater disappointment,” she said.

Her statement came as the top U.S. envoy on North Korea affairs, Sung Kim, is visiting South Korea.

Earlier Tuesday, Sung Kim said during a meeting with South Korean Unification Minister Lee In-young that Washington and Seoul agreed on the commitment to pursue complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula through diplomacy. Lee said he hopes North Korea would return to talks at an early date.

Sung Kim said Monday he hoped to see a positive reaction from the North soon on U.S. offers for talks though he said U.S.-led sanctions on North Korea will stay in place.

During a major ruling party meeting last week, Kim Jong Un analyzed the Biden administration’s North Korea policy and ordered officials to prepare for both dialogue and confrontation, “especially to get fully prepared for confrontation,” to protect national security and dignity, according to state media.

But Kim’s publicized comments didn’t include any harsh rhetoric against Washington and Seoul, an omission that prompted conflicting analyses among outside experts. Some said Kim Jong Un hinted he planned to apply more pressure on the United States to ease its policy on the North, while others argued he was emphasizing the possible resumption of talks.

During an interview with ABC News, Sullivan said that “His comments this week we regard as an interesting signal. And we will wait to see whether they are followed up with any kind of more direct communication to us about a potential path forward.”

In recent months, the North Korean leader has threatened to bolster his nuclear deterrent and claimed that the fate of diplomacy and bilateral relations depends on whether Washington abandons what he calls hostile policies, in an apparent reference to the sanctions and regular U.S. military drills with South Korea.

U.S. officials have suggested Biden would take the middle ground between Trump’s direct dealings with Kim and President Barack Obama’s policy of “strategic patience.” But some experts say the Biden administration would ease not any sanctions before the North takes concrete steps toward denuclearization.

The U.S.-led diplomacy aimed at striping North Korea of its nuclear program has stalled since February 2019, when the Americans rejected the North Koreans’ demands for major sanctions relief in exchange for a partial surrender of their nuclear capabilities during a summit between Kim and then-President Donald Trump.

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Associated Press writer Kim Tong-hyung contributed to this report.